Convertible car.



PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903..

H. ROMUNDER.

GONVERTIBLE GAR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, 1902. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

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No. 743,198. PATENTED NOV; 3, 1903 H. ROMUNDER. CONVERTIBLE GAR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.'11, 1902.

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NITED STATES l atented November 3, 1909;.

PATENT OFFICE.

CONVERTIBLE CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,198, dated November 3, 1903.

' I Application filed April 11. 1902. $erial No. 102,355. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMANN RoMiiNnER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide 'a car of improved construction, whether convertible or closed and whether operated by electricity, cable, steam, or other power and which does away with the monitor, gives more interior height with less outside height, is better ventilated, and of more substantial construction than other convertible cars.

The monitor or ventilating-top of railway or street cars generally projects about a foot above the curved roof of the car. By dispensing with the ventilating-top and providing a new means for ventilating the car I am enabled to save half the monitor height by outside measurement, and by building the frame of the car to correspond I secure an added height on'the inside of the car equal to half the normal monitor height. By ventilating through what might be called eaves of the overhanging roof I secure an ample current of fresh air with absolute protection against cinders, dust, or other local annoyances. By reason of the added height I am enabled to get a broader curve for the sash and panel grooves and also broaden the window-stool and secure much thicker and more substantial panels without encroaching upon the capacity of the car than has heretofore been possible.

My invention therefore consists in a convertible car provided with grooved side posts extending substantially the full height of the car, an overhanging root secured thereto, outer ventilators between the side posts under the caves of the overhanging roof, and inner ventilators between the tops of the side posts, whereby the usual Ventilating-top or monitor is dispensed with and the interior height of the car correspondingly increased.

One form of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-' Figure 1 isa side view of the car, showing the sashes and panels in various open and closed positions and with part of the roof broken away to show the interior., Fig. 2 is a cross-section. Fig. 3 is a view of theinterior of the car lengthwise. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the side posts, showing my improved arrangement of sash and panel grooves.

Same letters indicate similar parts in the different figures.

A is the floor-frame, mounted upon a suitable truck.

B B represent the seats.

C O are the side posts.

D D represent the panels or lower portions of the side walls of the car, which move up and down in the innergroove a in the side post 0.

r E E are the sashes or windows constituting the upper part of the side walls of the car and adapted to slide up and down in the outer groove b of the side posts 0, which ends at about the normal points of the window-sill.

When the panels D D are in their lower positions, which is the case when the car is used as a closed or winter car, they restupon the floor-frame A and entirely fill the lower half of the space between the side posts 0 C. These panels terminate at the top in the window-sill or window-stool c, which may be made full size as compared with ordinary cars which are not convertible. Heretofore the sillsin convertible cars have been made much smaller than in cars which are not convertible, in some cases being a mere dividingbead. This has been owing to the requirements of the groove in the side posts. my improved construction I am able to widen the lower or inner grooved, so as to use a much more substantial panel than has heretofore been possible and to provide space between said groove and the edge of the part to accommodate a f ull-size sill. Owing to the increased inside height which I secure by doing away with the monitor, I am able to carry this enlarged panel-groove up the side post, as shown, asnfficient height to leave the side entirely open for summer use without interfering with the ventilators or giving a clumsy effect to the upper portion or root of the car. When the sash portion E is down for winter or closed use, it rests upon the panel D, fitting weather-tight in the recess (1 of the sill o. .This outer or sash groove extends somewhat farther up the side post than the panel-groove. Between the two grooves at their upper portion is placed the stationary roof-panel F, which not only strengthens the car, but prevents dust, cinders, 850., from entering the car through the roof and admits air only by means of the ventilators referred to.

The meeting ends of side posts from opposite sides of the car are preferably somewhat narrowed and flattened, as shown at e, and are riveted together by means of a fishplatefor otherwise, as preferred.

Above the termination of the inner groove a I set what I term the inner ventilator G, being a window pivoted at 9 between the side posts. This window takes the place of the ordinary ventilating-window of the monitor, only instead of being perpendicular and communicating with the outside air it is set at an inclineand communicates with the airspace h, contained between the overhanging roof H and the roof-panel F. The overhanging roof H extends from side to side of the car for its entire length and is preferably supported from the side posts by means of the brackets 1;. In the caves of the roof are set between the side posts what I call the outside ventilators I. These ventilators are preferably curved and consist of wirenetting or other perforated material. They constitute the only means by which the outside air can enter the air-space h and through it pass to the interior of the car through the inner ventilator G. By means of these two ventilators or series of ventilators, there being oneof each form between each pair of posts on both sides of the car, I am able to secure thorough ventilation without any dangers from cinders, dust, smoke, or other annoying things which tend to enter the car through the ordinary ventilators. This arises partly from the fact that the size and character of the air-space between the two ventilators tends to hold back and divert to the bottom of the air-space any fine particles which may have passed through the perforations of the outer ventilator.

The many advantages of my improved construction will, I think, be readilyunderstood without further description.

I claim 1. The above-described car provided with grooved side posts extending substantially the full length of the car, an overhanging roof secured thereto, outer ventilators between the side posts under the eaves of the overhanging roof and inner ventilators between the tops of the side posts substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The above-described car provided with side sections consisting of a window and lower flexible panel movable in the grooves of the side posts the lower portion of which is straight and the upper curved end of side posts having a lower straight groove which contains the flexible movable panel when the vehicle is closed, and two upper concentric grooves the outer one of which contains the window, both open and closed, and extends farther into the roof of the car than the inner concentric groove which contains the movable flexible panel when raised into the roof.

3. A convertible vehicle provided with posts having a lower straight panel-groove, a

' movable flexible lower side panel, awindowsill of normal size, which gives the side panel absolute lateral stiffness, serves as an armrest for the passengers and produces a tight joint with the window, and a lower part of the sash adapted to rest slantingly against the window-sill, when the vehicle is closed.

4. A convertible passenger-car constructed withone continuous roof overhanging the body of the car so that hollow spaces are formed between the outer roof and the inner ceiling of the car; the ventilation of the car being secured through outer ventilators providedin openings between the side posts under the eaves of the overhanging roof, above the side windows, said openings being preferably covered by a grating and inner ventilators in openings in the inner ceiling of the car between the top part of the side posts, said inner ventilators consisting preferably of panelsashes which can be opened and closed as required, to regulate the ventilation of the car; the inner ventilators being arranged considerably higher than the outer ventilators so that the outside air on entering the hollow space between the outer roof and the inner ceiling of the car, must travel upward to the inner ventilators, whereby any impurities held and carried by the air in suspension are deposited on the upper surface of the inner ceiling of the car, and clean fresh air enters the interior of the car.

5. A convertible car provided with a number of side sections, each composed of a lower flexible side panel and large curved window, movable in the grooves of the side posts separating the successive side sections, and adapted to occupy when closed, substantially the space between the floor and the roof of the car on both sides, and when raised to be put out of the way in the roof portion of the car; stationary roof panels provided between the grooves of adjoining side posts and forming part of the inner ceiling of the car; a continuous roof overhanging the body of the car and forming air-spaces between the outer roof and the inner ceiling of the car; outer ventilators between the side posts under the eaves of the overhanging roof and inner ventilators in the ceiling of the car between the side posts.

6. A passenger-car provided with one continuous roof extending from side to side and the entire length of the car, preferably supported from the side posts by means of brackets, stationary ceiling-panels provided between the grooves in the side posts in their upper portion, said ceiling panels forming part of the inner ceiling of the car, said inner ceiling separating the outer roof from the,

interior of the car whereby -airspaces are formed between the outer roof and the inner ceiling of the car, which air-spaces communicate with outer ventilators between the side posts under the eaves of the overhanging roof, and inner ventilators provided in the ceiling of the car between the top part of the side posts, said inner ventilators being preferably arranged so as to be opened and closed in order to regulate the ventilation; side sections between the side posts, each side section consisting of a large curved window movable in the sash-groove provided in the upper circular part of the side posts, and a lower flexible side panel, of substantial size with a window-sill of normal size which gives the side panel absolute lateral stiffness,serves as an arm -rest for the passengers and produces a tight joint with the window, the bottom rail of which when the car is closed, rests slantingly against the window-sill; the flexible side panel with its window-sill being movable in the panelgroove which extends from the floor of the car almost the entire length of the side posts; the lower part of the panelgroove being straight and the upper part being circular and preferably concentric to the circular sash-groove; the lower straight part of the panel-groove forming a tangent to the upper curved part of the panel-groove, so that the flexible panel slides in both said grooves, owing to its flexibility accommodating itself to the variations of the side-post panel-groove.

7. In a convertible passenger-car a number of side posts, movable side sections, substantially occupying when closed, the space between the roof and the floor of the car on both sides, each side section consisting of a lower flexible panel, movable in panel-grooves provided in the side posts which panel-grooves extend almost the entire length of the side posts from the floor to the ceiling of the car, being straight in the lower straight part of the side posts,and circular in the upper curved part of the side posts; a window-sill of normal size secured to the upper part of the flexible panel, and a large curved window movable in the sash-groove provided above the circular panel-groove in the upper curved part of the side posts, the sash-groove extending almost the entire length of the curved portion of the side posts, from the window-sill level on, and preferably arranged concentric to the circular panel-groove; stationary roof-panels provided between the circular grooves of adjoining side posts and forming part of the inner ceiling of the car; the inner ceiling of the car separating the outer continuous roof from the interior of the car; air-spaces between the outer roof and inner ceiling of the car; inner ventilators provided in the ceiling of the car between the top of the side posts and consisting preferably of panel-sashes which can be opened and closed, as required, to regulate the ventilation of the car; the inner ventilators being preferably arranged considerably higher than the outer ventilators which are provided in openings between the side posts under the eaves of the overhanging roof, above the side windows, said openings being preferably covered by perforated material.

8. A convertible passenger-car with grooved side posts; side sections consisting of flexible panels and large curved windows movable in the grooves of the side posts, a continuous roof, suitably secured to the body-frame of the car and overhanging the body of the car; inner and outer ventilators between the side posts on both sides of the car; stationary ceiling-panels provided in the upper ceiling portion of the side posts, which ceiling-panels form part of the inner ceiling of the car; airspaces between the outer roof and the inner ceiling of the car, communicating with the outer and inner ventilators whereby a thorough ventilation of the car is secured.

HERMANN ROMUNDER.

Witnesses: W. P. PREBLE, J r.,

GUSTAV J. VOSS. 

